prendre/pʁɑ̃.dʁə/
verb · A1 · Frequency 105
verb
Meanings
to take, to get
Used to indicate taking or obtaining something.
to eat; to drink
Used to indicate consuming food or drink.
to take (time)
Used to indicate buying, earning, or spending time.
to rob; to deprive
Used to indicate forcibly taking or depriving something.
to catch; to catch (someone) doing something
Used to indicate catching or beginning an action.
to get caught; to jam
Used to indicate something being caught or jammed.
to take (a certain number or amount)
Informal usage indicating taking a certain quantity.
to come over; to gain control over one's thoughts or actions
Indicates thoughts or actions being controlled by an emotion or force.
Examples
Je vais prendre le dossier sur ton bureau.
I am going to take the folder from your desk.
Après la réunion, nous irons prendre un café.
After the meeting, we will go and have a coffee.
Cette réparation va prendre deux heures.
This repair will take two hours.
Le voleur espère prendre le sac avant l'arrivée des policiers.
The thief hopes to steal the bag before the police arrive.
Collocations
- prendre un objetto take an object
- prendre un repasto have a meal
- prendre une décisionto make a decision
Common mistakes
Ils prendent le bus.
Ils prennent le bus.
In the third-person plural present, prendre uses the irregular stem pren- with the ending -nent, giving prennent, not prendent.
Related words
synonymsaisirto seize, to grasp
synonymattraperto catch
- antonymlaisserto leave, to let go
Grammar note
Prendre is an irregular verb with auxiliary avoir in compound tenses; as an essential pronominal verb, it must be used with reflexive pronouns.
verb
Meanings
to take, to get
Used to indicate taking or obtaining something.
to eat; to drink
Used to indicate consuming food or drink.
to take (time)
Used to indicate buying, earning, or spending time.
to rob; to deprive
Used to indicate forcibly taking or depriving something.
to catch; to catch (someone) doing something
Used to indicate catching or beginning an action.
to get caught; to jam
Used to indicate something being caught or jammed.
to take (a certain number or amount)
Informal usage indicating taking a certain quantity.
to come over; to gain control over one's thoughts or actions
Indicates thoughts or actions being controlled by an emotion or force.
Examples
En prenant le dossier sur la table, elle a découvert une lettre importante.
While taking the folder from the table, she discovered an important letter.
En prenant un café après le déjeuner, nous avons parlé du voyage.
While having coffee after lunch, we talked about the trip.
En prenant cet abonnement, vous économiserez de l'argent chaque mois.
By taking out this subscription, you will save money every month.
En prenant son portefeuille, le voleur a empêché la victime de payer.
By taking the victim's wallet, the thief prevented her from paying.
Grammar note
Prendre is an irregular verb with auxiliary avoir in compound tenses; as an essential pronominal verb, it must be used with reflexive pronouns.
verb
Meanings
to take, to get
Used to indicate taking or obtaining something.
to eat; to drink
Used to indicate consuming food or drink.
to take (time)
Used to indicate buying, earning, or spending time.
to rob; to deprive
Used to indicate forcibly taking or depriving something.
to catch; to catch (someone) doing something
Used to indicate catching or beginning an action.
to get caught; to jam
Used to indicate something being caught or jammed.
to take (a certain number or amount)
Informal usage indicating taking a certain quantity.
to come over; to gain control over one's thoughts or actions
Indicates thoughts or actions being controlled by an emotion or force.
Examples
J'ai pris les clés sur la table.
I took the keys from the table.
Après la promenade, j'ai pris un café.
After the walk, I had a coffee.
J'ai pris un billet de train pour Lyon.
I bought a train ticket to Lyon.
Un voleur m'a pris mon portefeuille dans le métro.
A thief stole my wallet on the subway.
Grammar note
Prendre is an irregular verb with auxiliary avoir in compound tenses; as an essential pronominal verb, it must be used with reflexive pronouns.
verb
Meanings
to take, to get
Used to indicate taking or obtaining something.
to eat; to drink
Used to indicate consuming food or drink.
to take (time)
Used to indicate buying, earning, or spending time.
to rob; to deprive
Used to indicate forcibly taking or depriving something.
to catch; to catch (someone) doing something
Used to indicate catching or beginning an action.
to get caught; to jam
Used to indicate something being caught or jammed.
to take (a certain number or amount)
Informal usage indicating taking a certain quantity.
to come over; to gain control over one's thoughts or actions
Indicates thoughts or actions being controlled by an emotion or force.
Examples
Prends ce dossier et apporte-le au directeur.
Take this file and bring it to the director.
Prends un café avant de partir.
Have a coffee before you leave.
Prends deux heures pour terminer ce rapport.
Take two hours to finish this report.
Tu prends l'argent des clients sans leur permission.
You take the clients' money without their permission.
Collocations
- prendre un objetto take an object
- prendre un repasto have a meal
- prendre une décisionto make a decision
Common mistakes
Ils prendent le bus.
Ils prennent le bus.
In the third-person plural present, prendre uses the irregular stem pren- with the ending -nent, giving prennent, not prendent.
Related words
synonymsaisirto seize, to grasp
synonymattraperto catch
- antonymlaisserto leave, to let go
Grammar note
Prendre is an irregular verb with auxiliary avoir in compound tenses; as an essential pronominal verb, it must be used with reflexive pronouns.
verb
Meanings
to take, to get
Used to indicate taking or obtaining something.
to eat; to drink
Used to indicate consuming food or drink.
to take (time)
Used to indicate buying, earning, or spending time.
to rob; to deprive
Used to indicate forcibly taking or depriving something.
to catch; to catch (someone) doing something
Used to indicate catching or beginning an action.
to get caught; to jam
Used to indicate something being caught or jammed.
to take (a certain number or amount)
Informal usage indicating taking a certain quantity.
to come over; to gain control over one's thoughts or actions
Indicates thoughts or actions being controlled by an emotion or force.
Examples
Il prend le dossier sur la table.
He takes the folder from the table.
Elle prend un café avant de partir.
She has a coffee before leaving.
Il prend le train de huit heures chaque matin.
He takes the eight o'clock train every morning.
Le voleur prend le sac de la passante.
The thief takes the passerby's bag.
Collocations
- prendre un objetto take an object
- prendre un repasto have a meal
- prendre une décisionto make a decision
Common mistakes
Ils prendent le bus.
Ils prennent le bus.
In the third-person plural present, prendre uses the irregular stem pren- with the ending -nent, giving prennent, not prendent.
Related words
synonymsaisirto seize, to grasp
synonymattraperto catch
- antonymlaisserto leave, to let go
Grammar note
Prendre is an irregular verb with auxiliary avoir in compound tenses; as an essential pronominal verb, it must be used with reflexive pronouns.